This time of the year calls for celebration — the end of another school year at last. The difficult times of the past year will fade with the summer sun, but the sense of satisfaction that comes with achievement will become a lasting memory for students and parents alike.

Traditionally, awards ceremonies are a part of the end-of-theyear flurry. In high schools especially, outstanding students are given accolades in every academic discipline, scholarships are announced, sports stars and music and drama divas are touted. Oftentimes, however, it seems that a small group of students garner most of the awards across the board.

These exceptionally bright teens are certainly to be commended. You can pick out the beaming faces of their parents in the crowd, proud as can be. Also seen are the faces of parents of other wonderful teens, but those who, unlike cream, somehow didn’t rise to the top. Do these teens’ parents have something to be proud of as well?

A friend was present at such an award assembly several years ago, as her daughter was ending the senior year with a 4.59 grade-point average, and a resume of extra curricular involvement including student body leadership as well as outstanding participation in music and sports.

The valedictorian, who would speak at graduation, was then announced as the student with a GPA of 4.6. The daughter was given passing mention (with mispronunciation of her last name) along with other awards. But this time, even a 4.59 GPA didn’t rise to the top like cream.

A new documentary called “Race to Nowhere” has started quite a buzz recently among parents who are feeling the intense pressure in today’s achievement culture. The panicky race to college has filtered all the way down to the kindergarten level, and children at younger and younger ages are being over scheduled, and entire families stressed, in the hopes of somehow gaining an advantage. The question the documentary raises is how will this stress-driven race eventually end, and who will win?

All of the wonderful, average teens who are graduating from high school this year also deserve recognition, along with the cream of the crop. Their parents are proud of their achievement, even though they haven’t been labeled “outstanding” in any particular field. These are kids who have worked hard, faced challenges, have been upstanding citizens, but haven’t been widely known or recognized. But they are graduating too.

Perhaps these are the kids who brought the most spirit to their sports team, were leaders on class projects, took the time to eat lunch with a friendless student, or were the most conscientious about being at play practice on time. No awards for these.

A tradition in our family was to give gold star character awards at dinner on the last day of school. These had nothing to do with grades, but emphasized our kids’ outstanding citizenship, facing of hard challenges, being loyal friends, making good, honest choices, and being trustworthy. This was our attempt as parents to let our girls know that there is a lot more to life than just grades.

It is within the context of the family that every graduate, exceptionally bright or dependably average, should be celebrated for their uniqueness. Each is a star shining in their own sparkling way.

In the end, it is the accolades of friends and family members that perhaps mean the most. So celebrate the Shining Star in your family as the academic year comes to a much deserved close, and hats are tossed high in the air to signal the end of an era.